The Standard (Zimbabwe)

A broken country road

- BY OBEY CHIYANGWA

Now they are digging up this way that already leads to nowhere!

The message that is a lie is that they are working hard to broaden the road.

While we still carry their back-breaking work, these heavy loads.

Unwilling to care for and feed us are these crazy lords. They promised that they were going to upgrade these roads.

That they would tarmac them for the safe tread of the gods.

So we could also t our tiny footprints with the whole lot, as we trudge along the lofty roads burdened by their loads.

Yet barefoot we travel very long ways along denuded earth.

Hungry as we are,

We still traverse upon projectile­s jutting out like hot spikes

Along these abandoned country roads which they long promised to upgrade.

They have broken not only our tiny and brittle backs. The spine of this earth is one they have also unfairly scoured.

Yet not a single goal have they ever nally scored. Besides the road lies the load of our heavy daily toils. On the bloated sides of the face of earth lies some broken soil.

On the banks of a soiled way lies piles and heaps of exposed earth.

On the surface of this raped road we walk as remnants of trodden souls.

As we trudge aimless some countless steps towards nowhere to go.

Desperate walks,

Our swollen feet dance on the soft stomach of exposed earth.

This road that leads to nowhere is crying for care crying for aid.

This burden we carry to nowhere is heavy and back breaking.

These exposed feet that slap on bare earth are swollen, are bleeding.

Our tears that fall on this scoured earth are bloodstain­ed, are sacred.

Our souls that are barely covered by shreds of torn garb are tormented, are tortured.

Our womanhood that dwells on the brink of collapse is raped is abused.

Our burdened images that traverse the broken road are bent, are broken.

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